How the prices are estimated
Each crop is valued at a typical US grocery-store price for conventional produce. We round those prices down on purpose, so the total is a floor, not a brag. If you'd otherwise buy organic or shop the farmers market, your garden is worth more than this says.
Most crops are priced by the pound. A few are priced the way stores sell them: zucchini, peppers and melons each, herbs and greens by the bunch. Pints, quarts and cups are converted to weight at about 3/4 lb per pint, which is close for berries, beans and cherry tomatoes. A few examples:
- Tomatoes: $2.50 per lb
- Zucchini: $1.25 each
- Basil: $2.50 per bunch
- Blueberries: $5.00 per lb, so about $3.75 a pint
If you enter what you spent, the calculator tells you how far ahead you are, or how much more you'd need to grow to break even.
Questions
Where do the prices come from?
They are typical US grocery-store prices for conventional (not organic) produce, rounded down on purpose. Organic or farmers market prices are usually higher, so your real savings are probably a bit more than the total shown. Every price is editable if your store charges something different.
How are pints, quarts and cups valued?
Volume is converted to weight at about 3/4 lb per pint, which is close for berries, beans and cherry tomatoes. A quart counts as about 1.5 lb and a cup as about 3/8 lb, then the per-pound price applies.
What if my crop isn't in the list?
Type any name you like. Crops the calculator doesn't recognize get a deliberately low price of $2.00 per lb, $1.00 each or $2.00 per bunch. Change the price on that row to whatever you'd pay at the store.
Is what I type saved anywhere?
Only in your own browser, so a refresh doesn't wipe your list. Nothing is sent to a server and there's no account to create. Clearing your browser data removes it.